The endless roundabouts of labelling laws and country of origin labelling make me cross. As I consumer I want to be able to determine what I am eating and where it is from. The horsemeat scandal in Europe and the UK has little to do with food safety (assuming the meat was not contaminated with not-for-human-consumption pharmaceuticals) but rather the fact that consumers did not know what they were buying. [ + ]

Fruit growers are a pragmatic bunch, so when citrus grower Chris Deveney says that his first choice for shipping oranges and mandarins is a CHEP crate, there has to be a practical reason why. [ + ]

The meat substitution scandal in Europe is exposing the complexity and nasty underbelly of the food supply chain as well as the way the food industry is presented in the media. [ + ]

For anyone who grew up in Melbourne, Slades’ home-delivered soft drinks are an institution. The Tan family took over Slades in 2001, turning a business in decline into a thriving enterprise with a progressive and innovative outlook. [ + ]

If a pump does not live up to the high requirements with regard to safety, design, materials used and material surface finish, this can lead to impurities in the system, potentially causing an entire production to be brought to an immediate standstill. [ + ]

Scientists have identified the location and certain genetic characteristics of taste stem cells on the tongue. The findings will facilitate techniques to grow and manipulate new functional taste cells for both clinical and research purposes. [ + ]

CoMac, a global supplier of kegging, bottling and canning equipment, is installing a keg line for the Two Roads Brewing Company in Stratford, Connecticut. [ + ]

McCormick’s Flavor Forecast 2013 predicts some wild flavour combinations, including Japanese katsu sauce and oregano. The forecast reflects the worldwide collision of tradition and innovation. [ + ]

Traditionally grown in the highlands of Ethiopia, teff has been grown successfully in South Africa and the United States. But the little grain could soon be grown in Australia, thanks to research by RIRDC and TasGlobal Seeds. [ + ]

British company Qbag has teamed up with Australian specialty chicken retailer Lenard’s to promote the Barbie Bag, an aluminium bag pre-packed with one of three meal varieties that can be cooked on the barbecue and in the oven. [ + ]

After two decades of supplying flexible packaging solutions to an international customer base, KM Packaging Services knows the importance of speed when securing new clients. [ + ]

Lidding technology pioneer KM Packaging Services is seeing a sharp increase in demand for more secure film solutions as the global popularity of pre-prepared meals continues to flourish. [ + ]

Upgrading to a CombiCube B brewhouse is paying dividends for a Florida craft beer producer. The new capacity will enable the brewery to meet growing demand for its products. [ + ]

Today’s technology provides compressed air users with a myriad of ways to reduce energy consumption and to minimise CO₂ output. [ + ]

The Technical University of Denmark’s National Food Institute has adopted a Thermo Scientific iCAP Q inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer for research supporting EU Commission development of standards for arsenic and nanomaterials in food. [ + ]